Elastic mounting for a catalytic converter in an internal combustion engine

Abstract

In an internal combustion engine, a catalytic converter is elastically mounted within a tubular housing in the radial and axial directions by hollow rings. The hollow rings are located at each end of the catalytic converter and are formed, at least in part, of a thin metal foil skin or shell enclosing an elastic material such as a wire mesh or a fibrous ceramic material. Various shapes of hollow rings can be used, for instance, a single L-shaped ring can provide both radial and axial mounting at one end of a catalytic converter or a pair of oval-shaped hollow rings can be employed at one end with one ring providing radial mounting and the other ring affording axial mounting.

I claim: 
     
       1. A catalytic reactor for purifying exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine comprising a cylindrical tubular casing, a monolithic catalyst positioned within said casing, and at least two hollow rings formed of a metallic resilient material filled with a mass of resilient material and positioned within and in contact with said cylindrical tubular housing and arranged to elastically mount the monolithic catalyst within and to space it from said casing, and said hollow rings formed of a metallic resilient material each comprising a metal foil skin forming a closed cavity. 
     
     
       2. A catalytic reactor, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said metal foil skin is filled with a mass of elastic material. 
     
     
       3. A catalytic reactor, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said elastic material filling said metal foil skin is a mass of wire mesh. 
     
     
       4. A catalytic reactor, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said elastic material filling said metal foil skin is a mass of fibrous ceramic material. 
     
     
       5. A catalytic reactor, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said mass of elastic material filling said metal foil skin is a combination of wire mesh and fibrous ceramic material. 
     
     
       6. A catalytic reactor for purifying exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine comprising a cylindrical tubular casing, a monolithic catalyst positioned within said casing, and at least two hollow rings formed of a metallic resilient material filled with a mass of resilient material and positioned within and in contact with said cylindrical tubular housing and arranged to elastically mount the monolithic catalyst within and to space it from said casing, said hollow rings being L-shaped in axial cross section with one leg of the L-shaped cross section extending transversely of the axis of said tubular casing and the other leg extending in generally parallel relationship with the axis of said tubular casing, said one leg arranged to elastically mount the transversely extending end of the monolithic catalyst and the other leg arranged to elastically mount the circumferential periphery of the monolithic catalyst, said L-shaped cross sectional hollow rings each comprising a supporting shell forming a closed space, and the mass of resilient material comprising an elastic material filled within the closed space formed by said shell, said shell having a first section arranged to face inwardly toward the monolithic catalyst and a second section arranged to face outwardly toward said tubular casing in the radial direction and away from the monolithic catalyst in the axial direction, said first section being formed of a metal foil and said second section being formed of a metal section thicker and heavier than said metal foil and means rigidly securing the junction of said first and said second sections together. 
     
     
       7. A catalytic reactor, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said said securing means comprises a welded seam. 
     
     
       8. A catalytic reactor, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said supporting shell is filled with a mass of wire mesh. 
     
     
       9. A catalytic reactor, as set forth in claim 6, wherein said supporting shell is filled with a mass of fibrous ceramic material. 
     
     
       10. A catalytic reactor, as set forth in claim 6 wherein said supporting shell is filled with a mass comprising a combination of wire mesh and fibrous ceramic material.